September 11 lifts ratings - of channel that ignored it

The first anniversary of the September 11 tragedy generated a ratings bonanza for Channel 10, which didn't show any programs on the subject.

Across the mainland capitals, audiences for The Simpsons, Search for a Supermodel and Law and Order: Criminal Intent were each up by more than 200,000 on the previous week.

This doesn't mean that all Australians were using light entertainment to distract themselves from a horrific memory. Between 8.30pm and 10.30pm, Channel 7's documentary 9/11, made by French film-makers inside the towers with New York fire fighters, attracted 2 million viewers - 300,000 more than Seven usually attracts to Blue Heelers at that time.

But a lot of regular viewers apparently shut off their sets in response to the decision by Nine, Seven and the ABC to fill their prime time schedules with September 11 material.

The total TV audience between 8.30 and 9.30 was down half a million on the 4.5 million who were watching TV in the mainland capitals on the previous Wednesday.");document.write("

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At 7.30, Nine's Flight 93: Countdown to Terror attracted 1.4 million viewers - 100,000 fewer than the number who usually watch McLeod's Daughters, while Seven's How The Twin Towers Collapsed drew 1.3 million - down 300,000 on the usual audience for Ground Force. But The Simpsons on Ten drew 1.4 million - 200,000 up on the previous week.

The national flight from reality also benefited SBS - at 8pm, The Movie Show attracted a record audience of 262,000. Normally it does not appear among the top 50 programs for a Wednesday.

Seven usually wins Wednesday nights, with 32 per cent of the prime time audience, while Nine can expect 26 per cent, Ten 23 per cent, ABC 15 per cent and SBS 4 per cent.

On Wednesday this week the proportions were: Seven 36 per cent, Ten 25 per cent, Nine 24 per cent, ABC 10 per cent and SBS 4.5 per cent.

The moral for TV networks would seem to be: unless you have a spectacular exclusive, don't mention the war.